Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-01
THE RECORD.

Honest Ton HENDRICKS demanded a
look at the books. The people SAW the
point. The books were opened. The
government had been administered by
the Republicans for more than twenty
years. The public domain had been squan-
dered, the navy crippled, taxes maintained
at the war mark, corporate monopolies
fostered and the public service made a re-
ward for partisan service to the party in
power.
The Democracy had promised to review
the books, TO reform the civil service, to
save the public domain for the people, to
reduce taxes and to administer the govern
ment economically. The people accepted
the Democratic pledges and elected Mr..
CLEVELAND president. Mr.. CLEVELAND
took off his coat.
For over two years he has been at work
and let us see what he has accomplished,
how the Democratic party has kept faith
with the people.
The contractors ring has been crushed,
the government is being administered
economically, land grabbing has been stop
ped, the civil service is in process Of refor-
nation, and war taxes are only maintained
by the united effort of the Republicans
in Congress aided by a slender minority Of
Democrats who side with them on the tax
question.
While HENRY GEORGE is airing his vain
and impractical theories about the land
question, GROVER CLEVELAND is settling
the question in a hard-fsted and eminent
ly practical way. The poor people would
do we'll to keep their eyes on Washington.
The Republicans divided the immense in
heritance OF the people among 4 lot OF
rapaciUus mOncpOlists. Republican Con-
crosses voted away the public do
main year after year. Millions upon
millions of acres were granted to railroad
companies. Land grabbing became a re-
eoguized and profitable industry, actual
settlers-the hardy pioneers OF civilization
in the West-were robbed and their we'll
earned holdings confscated to the insat-
late greed of land rings. CLEVELAND
called 4 halt. His now celebrated letter
to GUILFoRD MILLER was the dawn Of a
new era. GUILFORD MILLER was about
to be eyicted from his holding in Wash
ing Territory by the Northern Pacific rail
road company, which laid claim to his
land rs being within its grant. MILLER
in despai, appealed to the President, and
the President told the hardy settler to
hold on to his homestead, and the govern
mend would defend his right. Since then
other actual settlers have appealed to the
headquarters of the government, and ID
every instance the rights of honest settlers
have been defended.
That celebrated look Ut the books mas
revealed the fact that the Republican land
commissioners granted patents to nearly
1900, 600 acres OF land over and above
congressional grants to railroad companies.
1t will be interesting to hear Republican
campaign orators explain that piece Of
bold r~ascality. The Democratic admins
tration has taken stepst to recover this land
for the public domain.
This is REFORM.
The Democratic administration Is re-
deeming the paTty's pledges. The peoples
land is being rescued from the
hungry NAV of ~mouopOlists and
held in sacred trust for the homeless.
The giant corporations that controlled tue
servants OF the people during Republican
rule are no longer IN a position TO bleed
the people by %cOrruptiDg their servants.
The leeches OF the naval ring no longer
have pass-keys to the treasury and their
power is broken. Congress has failed TO
reduce taxes, bat the accumulated taxes
ate stored in the treasury vaults to the
credit of the people. The taxes are being
piled up needlessly, but are not being
~squandered wantonly. The Administra-
ton has done its part. NSy let the Dem
ocratic majority in the lower house Of
Congress DO its duty in December and the
Democrats can go before the country with
q conscience entirely clear.